


Learning Curve

by dragon_temeraire



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Never Met, Alternate Universe - No Hale Fire, Bisexual Stiles Stilinski, College Student Stiles, Flirting, Fluff, Humor, Lawyer Derek Hale, M/M, Misunderstandings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-22
Updated: 2017-04-22
Packaged: 2018-10-22 14:12:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10698666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragon_temeraire/pseuds/dragon_temeraire
Summary: Stiles likes being Cora’s roommate, but he’s pretty sure her brother is hitting on him.





	Learning Curve

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by [ this post](http://luninosity.tumblr.com/post/132001415979/luninosity-overhead-while-walking-to-the). I’m not really into the sugar daddy thing, so I went a different direction with this.

Stiles is sitting at a picnic table in the shade, trying to get some studying done, when he hears someone calling his name. He looks up just in time to see Scott grin and say, “Hey, man!” as he sits down across from him.

Stiles smiles and shuts his book, eager for the chance to take a break.

“So, how’s it going?” Scott asks, leaning his arms on the table like he’s ready to settle in. “I know you were sad about having to move in with someone new, after I started living with Allison. So what’s it like, being roommates with Cora?”

“You’re so nosy,” Stiles grumbles good-naturedly. “I could be asking you how you’re liking living with your girlfriend, but I’m not.”

Scott laughs. “Come on, we’ve both been really busy with school, we haven’t talked in forever. Catch me up on your life, man.”

“Cora’s cool,” Stiles says after a moment, because he _does_ want to talk to someone. “She’s a pretty chill roommate, I like her a lot.” He pauses, considering what he wants to say next.

“But?” Scott prompts, clearly reading his silence.

“But, uh, I think her brother is hitting on me.”

Scott’s eyebrows go up. “Do you mean Derek? Is _Derek_ hitting on you?”

“Uh, yeah,” Stiles says, feeling a little awkward. “He’s, like…helping out with the rent. I mean, he’s totally paying for Cora to go to school, but still.”

“So you’re not having to pay rent right now? Like, at all?” Scott says curiously. “Sounds like a good deal to me.”

“Yeah,” Stiles mumbles. “But he also hangs out a lot. Like, sometimes Cora isn’t even there, but he’ll just chill and watch movies or play videogames or whatever.” He sighs. Scott’s gonna tease him, but he might as well put it out there. “And then there was the bookstore thing.”

Scott leans forward, looking intrigued. “What happened at the bookstore?”

“Well, Derek showed up at the apartment, told Cora he’d go with her to buy her books for the semester. Then he asked me if I wanted to go, too. And, I mean, I hadn’t gotten my textbooks yet, so.”

“So you went with them?” Scott asks encouragingly.

“Yeah. And after he paid for all of Cora’s books, he tried to buy all of _mine_ , too. But no way could I let him buy all of them for me, you know? I stood my ground!”

“You bought the lab manuals, and let him pay for the textbooks, didn’t you?” Scott says, smirking.

“Maybe,” Stiles concedes. “But after I wouldn’t let him buy all my stuff for me, he then offered to take me out to dinner. To make up for it!” he adds in a rush.

“And you said yes,” Scott says, with absolute certainty.

“Dude, have you ever known me to turn down free food?”

“Of course not,” Scott sighs. “Was Cora at this dinner?”

“Er, no,” Stiles says. “She said she had to meet up with her study group at the library. So it was just me and him.”

Scott’s quiet for a moment, looking like he’s thinking everything over. “So, is he hot?”

Stiles chokes on nothing. “What? Um, I guess,” he sputters. “You’ve met him, haven’t you?”

“Only a couple of times. He seemed cool, maybe a bit of a loner. Wait a minute,” he says seriously. “Is his hanging around creepy? Is he making you uncomfortable?”

“No!” Stiles says hurriedly. “No way. He’s actually really nice, just seems to want to talk and hang out. He’s a lawyer, and I think he gets pretty stressed at work sometimes, so it’s good for him to just chill with me—”

“Oh my god, you have a crush on him,” Scott blurts, eyes wide.

“I—what? No,” Stiles denies, but even he can hear how unconvincing he sounds.

Scott just grins. “It’s no big deal if you do. I mean, you are bi, aren’t you?”

“Theoretically,” Stiles mumbles, because he’s never even kissed a guy before. But he knows it’s no use.

“Dude, you could be dating a _lawyer_ ,” Scott says brightly. “He’s obviously into you. I think you should talk to him. Maybe ask him out,” he adds encouragingly.

“But— _fuck_ ,” Stiles says. Derek—beautiful, smart, has-his-life-together Derek—is interested in him? It had been so far out of the realm of possibility, Stiles had just refused to see the signs. And he’d tried not to notice how attractive Derek was, and how kind-hearted he seemed, and how he was so sweet to Cora. But _now_ …

“Though you should also talk about him trying to buy your affection, or whatever,” Scott says. “And if you don’t, I’m gonna call Cora,” he adds sternly.

Stiles is still kind of reeling, so it takes him a moment to respond. “What? Oh, that will _not_ be necessary, Scotty,” he says quickly. “I’m gonna get things sorted out.”

“You better,” Scott says, still looking cheerful. “I want you to get a boyfriend, not get taken advantage of.” He pulls out his phone, makes a show of thumbing through the contacts. “Let me make sure I have Cora’s number in here, real quick.”

“I’m going, I’m going,” Stiles says, grabbing his stuff and standing up.

“I want to know what happens,” Scott calls as he walks away. “Keep me posted!”

 

*

 

Derek isn’t at the apartment when he gets back, so Stiles tries to finish up his homework. But he can’t concentrate, he’s just too anxious and fidgety and, well, _hopeful_.

So he sits on the couch with the tv on low, and tries to think of what he wants to say. Cora’s not home either, so tries a few things out loud, hoping to calm his nerves. It doesn’t really work, but he figures it was worth a shot.

Derek shows up a little while later. “Hey, Stiles,” he says as he heads for the fridge, grabbing a bottle of water.

“Hey, Derek,” Stiles says weakly. “Um, can we talk?”

“Yeah, of course,” Derek says, looking worried. He tugs his tie loose, and sits next to Stiles on the couch. “What’s up?”

“Uh,” Stiles says, momentarily caught on the exposed hollow of Derek’s throat. “I’m not really sure what your intentions are, but it kinda seems like you…want to be my sugar daddy? And I’m flattered, but—”

“I—no,” Derek says, cheeks pink, looking like he’s at a loss for words. “That’s not—” he tries again.

Stiles finds himself smiling, because this flustered Derek is pretty adorable. “So…you haven’t been trying to buy my affection these last few weeks?”

“ _No_ ,” Derek groans, dropping his head into his hands. “Oh, god.”

Stiles studies the hunched line of Derek’s shoulders for a moment, then says, “Well, what were you trying to do?”

“I’m not—I’m not _good_ at flirting,” he says, dropping his hands away. He looks really embarrassed. “I never know what to do to get people to like me. So I just…try to be nice to them.” He sighs, slumping back on the couch. “I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable.”

“Hold on—you paying my rent and buying my textbooks was just your awkward flirting?”

“Um, yeah,” Derek says, cheeks still red.

“I—but I’m just a dorky college student. Why would you be interested in me?” Stiles asks, because he still can’t quite believe it.

Derek blinks at him in surprise. “Are you kidding me?” he says. “When Cora told me she was getting a new roommate, I came by so I could see what you were like.” He shakes his head. “She got me, too. She knew you were exactly my type.”

“You think Cora took me as a roommate just to set you up?” Stiles asks, laughing.

“I wouldn’t put it past her,” Derek grumbles. “I haven’t been on a date in a while. And every time I would ask her about you, she would just look smug.”

Stiles is kind of feeling smug himself. _He’s Derek’s type?_

Derek always seemed so confident and self-assured, Stiles would have never guessed he had a shy, awkward side. It’s pretty great.

“You know, the reason I didn’t pick up on your, uh, _flirting_ was because you were way out of my league. I figured it would never happen.” He shrugs. “So can we maybe try this again?”

“Yes,” Derek says, looking hopeful.

Stiles clears his throat. “Derek, I think you’re hot and amazing. Do you want to go on a date with me?” He’s pretty sure he knows what the answer’s going to be, but it still makes his stomach flutter a little.

“I’d like that a lot,” Derek says, smiling.

“Good,” Stiles says cheerfully, moving close enough that their thighs are pressed together. “Now, part two: can I kiss you?”

“I’d like that, too,” Derek says quietly.

Stiles kisses him until he’s breathless.

 

*

 

They alternate paying for dates, and Derek stops covering Stiles’ rent.

He does buy their wedding rings, though.

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to come by and prompt me/talk to me [ on tumblr](http://dragon-temeraire.tumblr.com/).


End file.
